The Miami Heat may have questions, but No. 17 in The Ringer’s latest NBA power rankings feels like a stretch.
The outlet slotted Miami in a tier labeled “May hang a banner if they win a playoff series,” and that’s where the debate starts. The Heat are being treated like a team that merely added a useful piece or two, when the roster now includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, and Erik Spoelstra.
That’s a lot more than a fringe contender. Even with the obvious unknowns - especially on offense - it’s hard to look at that collection and settle on a ranking that low.
The Ringer did give Miami credit where it’s due, noting the defense should be strong. “Miami’s defense should be solid. Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, and Erik Spoelstra’s broad playbook should get the job done,” The Ringer wrote.
“Solid” almost undersells what this group could become. Adebayo and Antetokounmpo together give Spoelstra a chance to build something nasty on that end, with very few obvious pressure points for opponents to attack. From there, Spoelstra can throw out zones, switches, traps, and all the other looks that make Miami such a difficult team to prepare for.
The bigger argument is on offense, where The Ringer raised concerns about how Antetokounmpo fits into a system that moved away from heavy pick-and-roll usage last season. But that’s the part that should be changing, not staying frozen in place.
If Miami has Antetokounmpo now, the Heat should be leaning into the pick-and-roll more, not less. Giannis and Bam in action together is the obvious starting point.
Bam can pop, roll, or create space as the screener. Antetokounmpo can do the same thing and force defenses into impossible choices once he’s rolling downhill.
Miami can even get creative with inverted actions, then surround them with shooters and see how teams react.
There are spacing questions there, no doubt. Adebayo and Antetokounmpo like operating in a lot of the same spots, and the fit won’t be automatic.
Still, the concern around Miami’s ranking feels too focused on what the Heat still need and not enough on what they already have. This is not just a team that added a good starter. It added one of the most dominant offensive players of this generation.
Defenses have spent years building their whole plan around stopping Antetokounmpo from getting loose. They pack the paint, send help, build the wall, and do whatever they can to keep him from getting downhill. Now Spoelstra gets to turn that gravity into an advantage, and Thompson should benefit from the open looks that follow.
That said, the roster isn’t flawless. The lack of another high-level ball handler is a real concern, and Mitchell, even with the progress he’s made as a playmaker, is not a score-first guard. Miami may eventually need someone who can create his own shot and steady the offense when playoff possessions get tight.
That criticism is fair. What doesn’t make sense is letting that one issue bury everything else on the roster.
The Heat have two defensive stars in the frontcourt, more shooting than they had before, and quality wing defenders around them. On talent and upside alone, it’s hard to find 16 teams that clearly belong ahead of them.
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